Joyce Reynolds from the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) elucidates the critical role her organization plays in providing vital resources and support for seniors and individuals with disabilities. At the forefront of her discourse, she emphasizes the necessity of accessible assistance and advocacy for those facing crises, illustrating the profound impact of timely intervention. Joyce shares her extensive experience in crisis counseling, highlighting the emotional toll and urgency often encountered by those reaching out for help. She articulates a commitment to not merely dispense information but to engage comprehensively with clients, ensuring they feel seen and supported throughout their journeys. This conversation invites listeners to reflect on the importance of community resources and the profound difference they can make in the lives of individuals navigating challenging circumstances.

Takeaways:

• Joyce Reynolds emphasizes the importance of connecting individuals to resources available for aging and disability services, which are critical in times of need.
• She discusses her extensive experience working with vulnerable populations, highlighting the emotional challenges faced by both clients and caregivers during crises.
• ADRCs serve as vital links in the community, advocating for those in need and providing support, which often extends beyond mere resource allocation.
• The conversation reveals that many individuals are unaware of the assistance available, stressing the need for greater outreach and education about services such as 211 and ADRC.
• Joyce shares personal anecdotes demonstrating the profound impact of human connection and empathy in crisis counseling, showcasing the power of compassionate communication.
• The episode underscores the societal need for systemic changes in how resources are provided to seniors and disabled individuals, particularly in housing and employment sectors.

The following is a productions original series.

Hello and welcome to Walk and Roll Live.

I'm Doug Vincent, joined by Addie Richard.

Our podcast is dedicated to amplifying the voices of the disability community.

I am a polio survivor and Addie has cerebral palsy.

Yes.

So we're back again this week and how was your week?

What were you doing in the off time?

It was good.

I did a lot of training last week.

Last week was for the we later, you know, we talk about anxiety and social anxiety for as bubbly as I am and everybody makes fun of me because they're like, you love to talk.

And I'm like, no, I actually don't like.

Especially when it's tied to work.

It's anxiety inducing.

Right.

I had to give basically as part of my ERG group that I'm part of, I hosted a caregiver coffee chat.

And it was a lot about caring for the caregiver.

And there were, there were like 30 people that showed up, which was really good.

It was great.

Yeah.

It was on zoom, but I talked for about 50 minutes and like gave different strategies and it was fun.

But I was terrified for like the whole week before the week, you know, until Wednesday.

So on Wednesday it was like a big adrenaline dump.

And then I, on Thursday I had to do a training for my, for my team members about using AI and technology in the workplace.

So it was a double dose of having to act like I knew what I was doing.

So, you know, come Thursday night, I slept really well because I slept the rest.

Just need to keep doing it.

More than the adrenaline.

Dope gets less.

Shake that jitters up.

I know I was telling them.

I was telling my team.

I was like, you know, it's funny because being a teacher, like nobody talks about as a teacher, you can be anxious about your lessons as well.

And I'm like, I used to be like a.

Felt like an ice dump, dunking myself in every morning to do my lessons for the first time.

I taught it.

You teach six periods.

So on the sixth period, I don't give a crap.

I can do it in my sleep.

But on the first one you're nervous or whatever and making sure and honestly too, the principal pops in and that's very nerve wracking or people from the superintendent's office or whatever.

So.

But that was a long time ago.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kind of out of practice a little bit.

Yeah, I survived.

How about you?

A good week?

Had a good week.

You know, it's hot and cold here and all those things and and had a good time at the.

At the pantry, which we do every week.

But this week we did haircuts for the fathers for Father's Day, and a buddy of mine and his wife, they.

Their daughter, I guess, had completed beauty school or whatever, but.

And they reached out to her because I asked them could she come and do some haircuts that day.

And she didn't stay in that field.

She got another job doing something else.

But I thought she maybe could come and volunteer her time.

But to find out that she mostly did women's, like, coloring and things like that.

Didn't really do, like, barber work.

So they were so gracious.

They.

They paid the g. A gal salary to come out.

Oh, how.

You know, so she wouldn't miss work.

And it's their donation to have her donator time to do their.

Cool.

Yeah, it was very nice and, you know, for them.

And he's a veteran, was a military dog handler going back to Vietnam, and he.

They very much appreciated what we were doing there.

For the veterans.

Yes.

Which, you know, I knew.

I knew he would, you know, but just for somebody to actually see it, you know, is very nice.

So, yeah, had a good time doing that.

And then we're.

We're going to do it for the kids again when.

Just before they go back to school so they can get their kids and all that.

Yeah, so that'll be a good time.

And then Friday night, I went to a gentleman I've met, you know, through all the different adaptive sports and things, a guy named Sebastian.

And he is very passionate about camping and getting out into the outdoors.

So he put together a whole presentation and gave it at rei.

I don't know.

Yeah.

You know what REI is with the camping equipment and all that.

Yeah, I love rei.

Yes.

Oh, I know it's tough going in.

I just want to buy everything.

But so it was all about adaptive camping.

So it's kind of gotten me re.

Energized to do that because, you know, I kind of thought the camping days were behind me.

But, yeah, you know, there was a lot of ideas that he shared.

Kind of like, I think I could do this again.

You know, one of the things is I'm thinking I got to get in a tent because, you know, that's what I want to do.

I don't want to, you know, a motorhome would be nice, but it's not the camping that I really enjoy and used to take my daughter out on, but it's, you know, I'm thinking of getting in a tent and getting on the ground.

How am I going to get back up into my wheelchair and all that stuff?

Hello.

A cot.

Great.

That's a great idea.

Genius.

Yeah.

So.

And just a bunch of other things.

So yeah, start working on that.

And it kind of led me to.

Because I have a hand cycled that I haven't really ridden in a while and.

And some of that is.

Is my shoulders, you know, obviously gone.

So I was thinking about getting it upgraded to electric so you know, times hills and things like that.

I could have a little assistance.

But then he started showing the different kinds of devices that can go on off road trails and things like that, you know, and there's of course the things that are 15, $20,000 which is.

Yeah, you know, out of price for most people.

But they.

There's a device that you just put on your manual wheelchair and.

Okay.

And it, you know, you can go on those off roads and I've already kind of been thinking this way because a couple years ago I got knobby tires to put on my wheelchair for times when I went into that kind of situation.

And so I just need to get those adjusted right with the right axles and so I can interchange them between my daytime tires and those tires.

That's amazing.

Yeah.

So it's all.

That's all kind of coming together.

I'll keep it posted on that.

We're going to have him on to talk about that.

Yeah, he should be on and we should record it because that would be something I would love to give to my erg.

I.

One of the things I started doing and making is accessible summer camps because the larger parent company owns smaller entities all over the US So I started collecting like basically making a directory of summer camps.

Yeah.

Summer here.

And so, so adaptable and not or.

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So like things that are like, you know, do inclusive camping or like different camps that you know, specialize in autistic children because oftentimes you don't have a lot of respite from it.

But there are day camps and things that.

There's our well versed and it's really cool.

Wow.

Welcome to the brainstorming meeting for.

For walking Roll up.

Because I wanted to do that on our resource page, you know, have a category for all of that kind of stuff.

So I've got some.

I'll share them with you if you share yours.

Perfect.

With me.

Yeah, that would be awesome.

So yeah, it's starting to look forward to doing that.

So yeah, that'll be.

That'll be fun.

Get back out my.

I know my daughter is doing a lot of that, like I said, kind of introduced that to her when she was young, and now she's spending it with her family.

And I thought, well, that'd be nice to go.

And, you know, they do a lot of overnighters.

Like, on a Friday night, they'll go down to one of the state beaches.

Yeah.

For the night.

So I'd love to go along.

Alrighty.

Very good.

And we got letters.

You know, we get.

I started looking back and we get letters quite often and I just haven't really shared a whole lot.

Just forgets he reads them.

And then to myself.

Yeah, it's okay.

So, yes, I. I piled a few here.

Won't take too long.

But we'll.

We'll share them with you.

We get lettuce.

We get lettuce.

Oh, so, so many letters.

And it's time to share them with you.

There we go.

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your podcast.

I think what you guys are doing is so great and beneficial to so many people.

Keep up the good work and I look forward to collaborating with you guys more in the future.

Have a lovely rest of your week.

And I look forward to listening to many more episodes and podcast episodes from Walk and Roll Live.

Cheers, Ellie.

Ellie the dance instructor.

Yes.

And then thank you for this nice shout out to the over the Line game we attended.

It was super nice meeting you and listening to your podcast.

I have some catching up to do.

I will definitely keep in touch and use some of the resources you share.

That's Oscar that I met at the over the Line thing at Costa Kalina.

I just want to say I really admire you and your podcast.

The way you frame this message was extra lovely.

I have had three surgeries in the last six months and have been on a walker, and now I progressed to a cane.

I only have a tiny sliver of what it is like to struggle physically through this experience.

And so I have more empathy and respect than ever for those who have had a lifelong battle.

Special wishes to you in today and every day.

Michelle, that's a friend of mine and, you know, and I like the way she put that because so many times we were just talking about this at one of the events that I was at when people say, you know, I, you know, I broke my ankle a couple of months ago.

I know, I feel that too.

Yeah, yeah.

And, yeah, so don't do that.

Don't do that.

But acknowledging that, like art, storytelling helps you with your empathy.

Yeah, that's go right ahead.

I like that.

Exactly.

I've had people say my brother had something in that.

I know.

We.

We talk about that in an episode upcoming too.

Like it's.

They play the Six degrees of Separation.

Although I do admire their want to connect.

But I also.

It's a fail.

It is a fail.

So.

And then the last but not least, I was telling you the last time I think we read letters, that there's a gentleman that I know, that he just every week he says, oh, wow.

Totally awesome, Gunny.

Thanks for writing, Gunny.

We appreciate it.

All right, today we speak with Joyce, Joyce Reynolds from the adrc, and that is Aging and Disability.

Resource Center.

Resource Center.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

It takes two.

It takes two, baby.

We'll get through it.

And we'll be talking about what she does with the one here.

But there are many ADRCs across the country, so if you're looking for Aging and disability services, look it up around your community and you should be able to find one.

All right, so we'll do that here in just a moment after we hear from our good buddies over at YAR Professional Training.

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From the UG YAR Professional Training Studios, you're listening to Walk and Roll.

Live disability Stories.

We rise with more than kite the fear in our eyes Every step we take Soaried up to the sky Breaking all the barriers Changing up the game Living life unstoppable Known by our name with strength inside our hearts independence we chase through every storm and trial we find our own space A world where all can flourish no limits in sight Our unity's our power we shine in the night Live and thrive let's play the trail Worldwide stands all with pride no need to never hide in every town and city Our voices will be strong Together we can make it we.

Belong and here we are.

Back to the exciting part of the show.

You know, Addie and I like to kind of catch everybody up on what we've been doing the last week, but this is, this is the meat of the show.

So thank you for joining us.

And today we have Joyce Reynolds from ADRC of San Bernardino county.

And we're going to talk to her a little bit about her because she is a person with a disability as well.

We always start out our show telling our audience what our disabilities are, adding I just to give the whole conversation a context.

So we invite our guests to share whatever their disability is, if they have one or if they want to share whatever.

So, Joyce, can you share with us?

My name is Joyce Reynolds and I am an ADRC specialist.

I've worked with 211 for many, many years.

I started out as a suicide crisis counselor, but I was, I was an independent contractor for.

Right after I got my master's degree, I started doing that.

But they don't really count that because I was an independent contractor.

But I kept doing it and I loved doing it.

So I went on to be with a.

For adrc.

So I decided, let me try something different.

You know, I was really immune to hearing everything.

I mean, I talked to people that were molesters.

I talked to people that were.

I just, you know, I talked to them all.

But when the baby started calling in you guys, that was the first time I found myself getting emotional, you know, crying, I mean, and I thought I was immune to everything.

Right.

But I would get like 10 and 11 year olds calling in and I would, I would ask them, how did you get our number, sweetheart?

And they would say to me, well, at school there was a big sign that said, if you're feeling a certain way, call this number.

Yeah.

You know, and I reflect back When I was 10 and 11, I was playing with dolls, you know, not thinking about all of that.

Right.

So that's when I said, this is just get a bit much for me.

And again, this position came up and I thought, oh, this is going to be refreshing because with ADRC you work with seniors and dependent adults.

Yeah, yeah.

And it kind of hit me also because I have never.

This is still.

It was.

This is still a.

Not everybody can do this type of work because you're dealing with crisis after crisis after crisis.

I mean, today I had a policeman called me, San Bernardino pd, Two women fighting each other, two sisters, you know what I'm saying?

And then he wanted me to hurry up and help get housing for one of the sisters, that type of thing.

So it's still, you know.

Yeah.

On top of the.

Trying to meet their needs, they need it now.

Yeah, they need it.

Well, they need it yesterday before the fight broke out.

But now the co ops are involved, they definitely need it.

Yeah, absolutely.

I'm curious, Joyce.

I'm backing you up in your story just a little bit because I'm curious as to what, what is your master's in, like, what brought you to this?

What brought you to a helping profession in which you.

Some people.

And not to say people don't care about people, but it takes a certain soul to care about others in a way that you would even like.

Yeah, you're all in.

Yeah, yeah.

I.

So I'm not going to even plan on this question because they're right.

Here I go.

Yeah.

Growing up, you know, I got married, as we all do.

So I. I was married.

I was in an abusive situation and.

But I was.

They called my ex husband O.J.

They did.

Really charming man.

You know what I'm saying?

You know, articulate, good looking and all of that.

So it's like.

And he was abusive and no one really believed him, you know what I mean?

Because he was so convincing and so forth.

Believed you.

Yeah.

Believe you.

Right.

Yeah.

So I had parents that I had family and I.

So I was very, really blessed growing up.

So my family helped me out of the situation and I said to myself, oh, my God, look at women that stay in this situation because they have nobody and they know where to go.

So my first thought was my degree, I'm going to open up a home for abused women and children.

I got this.

I've always been in wanting to help people.

You're a helper.

As a little girl, my mother, I'll never forget it.

My mother called me Mother Teresa one time because, I mean, I didn't know I was like this, but we thought, my sister and I thought we were rich growing up, but we weren't.

But we thought we were because we had a maid when we lived in Panama, you know, and then when we lived in Rialto, we were the only people on the street that had a freezer in our.

In the garage.

Freezer full of food.

Yeah, right.

Both my, both my parents were veterans.

And as a little girl, about 8 years old, I'd be skipping up and down the street, you know, look at our freezer.

To the kids.

Yeah.

And they would be like, wow, we don't have this.

So I'd be like here, you know, passing out.

Because they would shop at.

Doug is probably familiar with March Air Force Base.

Yes.

Yep.

They would shop it there and they get all kinds of food, you know.

So I'd be like, here, we'll take this, take that, you know.

And I remember my mom coming out there and saying I thought I had thawing out food.

This is how it all began, thawing out food.

For Sunday's dinner.

I thought I had some steaks here.

And I said, you did, mommy, but I gave them to the Johnsons.

And she said, why did you do that, Joyce Marie?

I said, because they had no food.

They said they were hungry.

So she said to me, well, the next time somebody tells you that they're hungry, you let me take care of it.

So I watched my mother work you guys.

I did.

And that's why I started a non profit called Mabel's Angels.

My mother's name is Mabel.

She's no longer with her, with us, but she used to like navigate to help people like you would not believe, you know.

And that's how I, I had always had a heart for giving.

You know, if I, if I couldn't do it, I'd volunteer somebody to do it.

Right, you'd volun told them you volunteered somebody.

I volunteer.

There you go.

So that, that's, you know, I always, I don't just always felt good helping and that's something that, that will always be here.

My credit cards want to divorce me because I put so many homeless people in motels, you know, because people that fall through the cracks are the people that I want to help.

I give them to APS.

I try to get a social worker involved.

I do everything I'm supposed to do and then they'll call me back crying on the phone, Joyce, you know, and then here I go and you know what I'm saying?

So that's why I started my non profit for people who fall through the cracks.

We did a story called Home for the Holidays where we helped this 77 year old man who had no family.

Well, he had a cousin in Wisconsin.

We helped him get back home, you know what I'm saying?

His cousin was always calling us because his name was Bob Pippin.

He couldn't hear and APS didn't help him.

We were always doing welfare checks.

So we went over there one day I did on my off time and I met Bob.

He must have weighed 90 pounds, you know.

Poor thing couldn't hear.

So we helped him get home and I just found out yesterday he passed away but his cousin said to me, thank you for giving me six months of my cousin.

Yeah.

Because she was older than him and she couldn't have made it down here, you know, so.

So he did have somebody that cared about him.

One cousin that he knew about.

Her name was Barbara.

Yeah.

But it's.

So you're a human connector.

You've been a human connector since you're a kid.

But now the ADRC is.

Is the way that you officially connect.

And right here.

Let's just.

For people that don't know, I've never heard of adrc.

Exactly.

You know what that means?

What that is?

ADRC is the.

It's like a rolling start.

Okay.

We're core partners with Rolling Start.

Right.

So we go hand in hand.

We are basically supposed to just connect you to resources out there.

You know, connect you, get you hooked up, advocate for you if you need that.

But I took it a step further.

Not that I'm doting on myself, but I did.

You know what I'm saying?

It's in your nature and doing a little bit more than that.

So, you know, I've got the shared housing thing going on where I set up this.

I call it three phases.

Right.

People call their homeless, and people have been hearing about what I'm doing, so they'll call me and they'll say, joyce, I have a room for rent.

Do you have any seniors?

And I have a plethora of seniors, you know, so that not every ADRC does what we do.

But being a crisis counselor.

And my supervisor would keep telling me, joyce, you're not a crisis counselor anymore.

Just give him the number.

Right.

I don't know how to do that.

Yeah.

You know, and sorry, but, you know, I've been on the phone with you a few times, chatting.

She.

She's on the board with me at Rolling Start.

You know, full disclosure here, but yes, I call her about different things in.

And she's got to take a call, and I'll be listening to her.

And.

Yeah, she's not just handing off numbers, that's for sure.

And, you know.

You know, you know, dote on you a little bit here, but just your attitude and your tone and your voice, you know, I've never, like.

Her voice is great.

And as frustrated as you would think this would be after taking calls like this all day long, every day for how long now?

Years and years, right?

Seven years.

Yes.

But you keep this.

This tone that is just helpful, you know, assertive.

You know, she's not a wimp, but she's you know, she's giving them advice and, you know, reiterating it if she has.

You can lovingly steer people.

Yes, that's absolutely.

I feel that energy already.

It's the loving steer of like, hey, I'll give you the resource you're in charge of.

You know what I mean?

Like, you got to run the race, but I will walk alongside you and keep clapping.

And that's who it feels like.

Joyce, you are like, you do your official job and then you do your unofficial universe job, and I love it.

For years.

That's one of the things that I've, you know, it's been obvious.

Obvious is probably the two top things are employment and housing.

And.

And there's just.

It's just so difficult to find housing, you know.

Oh, it is.

It's frightening.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yes, it is.

You.

We have people out there, you guys on oxygen, you know, in their 70s and 80s, homeless.

Yeah.

It's like, what's.

Something's not right with our system.

You know, it's like, I want to write letters to people.

Maybe, Doug, you could tell me who to write letters to.

Somebody's got to listen.

We got to do better.

Yeah, yeah.

Because they're.

They're.

You know, there are this.

I mean, this is a complicated subject, obviously, but, you know, there are people that have mental health issues, and they're not going to get off the street until you clear that up, you know, but that's even difficult to get.

Either get it if you want it or, you know, people when they're in the depths of addiction, that's not a priority for them, you know, to try to get mental health.

But those people definitely, that are on the street, you know, at 70 with.

With oxygen, probably are there because, you know, they just didn't have all the resources as they were going through life, let alone have enough for the end where they could just, you know, live on a pension or what?

They saved.

Yeah.

They maybe didn't have enough to save, so now they're on the street.

But, yes, we should be able to help.

They didn't prepare.

They didn't.

Or they couldn't prepare between.

They didn't and they couldn't.

Because sometimes if you look at the economics to just live now and.

Yeah.

Like, how do you create the savings for 20 years from now when you can't pay all the bills right now?

So that's why there are things like ADRC and different things.

So.

That's a good point, Addie.

But whether you, you know, you couldn't or didn't you know, really for those people, I really have a heart for them, you know, that there should be something that can help them.

I've literally started to GoFundMe pages.

I have one going now.

I have one that I started last year, you know, because people I, you know, I reach out for monetary assistance.

The one I started last year, we had this gentleman in Victorville.

His mother passed away.

He's in a three bedroom home and he's behind, you know, on his mortgage.

It isn't his name.

So did she leave him the home?

She left him, yeah.

So even though she left him a home, he's still struggling.

Right.

So I try to get people, you know, I reached out to our partners.

I'm not going to say the partners I reached out to, but I reached out to people, you know, for help.

Because here was the plan.

We get these rooms cleaned up.

Then our client, Mark is his name.

I can say that because he signed the release and all that.

He can rent out the rooms, he can supplement his income.

He's going to be fine.

Oh good.

But, but I couldn't get the money to do that.

So I raised, I did a GoFundMe for him.

It's the creativity, right?

Like the world we live in right now requires creativity.

But for people that are listening and need to like, maybe they're in that situation, are very tedious, you know, it's tediously close for them.

Like can you explain the process of what happens?

So they call, they find this number, however it phones them 211 and then.

What you 211 is the entry point entry now 21 1.

They know to give them resources and so forth because you know, we have plethora of resources in our database.

However, they'll get that one senior.

I mean today I had like what, three or four calls from 211 inboxes.

You know, Joyce, can you help this person?

That type of thing.

So we're, they'll give the call to us.

Usually it's like a 7, 8, 9, 10 day before I can get back with them because it's just that many calls.

I go to town, I assess them, you know, I find out where they're at and so forth.

Usually I'll put them through the, to adult Protective Services who also takes 10 days.

Sometimes they'll call me right back saying that they didn't get the help they need.

And that's how I start adding what I add.

But that's, that's how the Joyce comes.

The Joyce special shows up.

Because if you're not gonna not eat for 10 days if.

If that's what it.

Yeah, we've taken food to people, you know, my little nonprofit.

And I told the CEO, I told him, I said, I just want you to know.

Because someone said, are you sure that's not a conflict of interest to have Mabel's Angels and then work for.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

Just like when I joined the board, you know, I love Lisa.

When I joined the board, that kind of came up, too.

But they say, no, no, no, it's okay.

Because like I explained to.

To Chris, our person at the top, I said, the cause, the stories and everything.

It makes us look good.

Right.

Because I'm still a part of you guys.

And he was like, that's fine.

Just keep doing what you're doing.

You know, humanity.

Losing humanity for politics is a horrible tragedy, but is absolutely.

Sometimes you just got to say, well, screw it.

We'll see what happens.

And it's a perfect partnership between 2 and 11 and rolling start.

Because that's what Rolling Started is really all about as well, is we have people who know where all the resources are, you know, at least a significant amount of them, and they're always finding new ones.

You know, people I know in my travels, you know, if I find something new, I'll.

I'll let Rolling Start know, you know, this is available out there.

And either they'll say, I knew about that or they didn't, and they'll add it to their library of those resources.

So.

Yeah, and there's new ones coming on all the time, new organizations.

And so.

So.

So somebody calls on to let now to.

On one, you're not answering those calls, there's somebody else, and then there's a system where it funnels it to you, depending on the need assessment.

I love to.

On one, but I wouldn't last five seconds with them, you know, because I tell you what.

No, seriously, because they.

They calls back to Back to back.

Right?

Yeah.

Right.

But by time, I say, hello, how are you doing?

And all that there.

There goes that.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

So I'm glad that they don't.

ADRC.

They don't.

We don't have a time frame.

You know what I'm saying?

We can do our own thing for me is I never like to have a client hang up feeling the same way when they called it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, if they hang up and they're still crying incessantly, that means I didn't do my job.

I was going to ask.

So when, when, when you get that call.

And they would initially call to two one, one.

Now it's eight, nine, ten days later.

Big part of what you do is probably manage expectations.

You know, they're frantic by this time, I imagine.

Oh, my God.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

You know, the, the follow ups are very important, you guys, because.

And sometimes it's hard, you know what I'm saying, when you're talking to so many people.

But the very first time I did a follow up, I'll never forget it, the client was literally waiting and she started crying and she said, you didn't forgive me?

I mean, she just started crying, you know what I'm saying?

I'm like, oh, my God, this poor lady.

Because a lot of these seniors, they've outlived their family.

They don't have anybody, and they wait for that call from us.

Yeah.

Yes.

So, so what are some of the biggest issues?

I mean, we talked about housing and employment at that age.

Is that a big issue?

It is a big issue because a lot of clients call in saying that, you know, discrimination.

You know, I get people that are in their 70s, 75, wanting to go back to work because it's hard to make it out there.

You know, sometimes you got two, three families and, and living under one roof just to make ends meet.

Yeah, so that, that's a good question.

There should be more jobs for seniors.

And I know a lot of employers because I just had a buddy go through this and luckily he was right on the verge of retirement age.

And, you know, he was out there looking and looking and looking and, and he really started to get the feeling, you know, nobody said it, you know, implicitly, but he started to get the feeling, they're not going to hire me because, you know, am I going to be around there six months to a year and then retire?

Why, why would they bother?

They want somebody younger money into it and.

Yeah, yeah.

So for the player, sometimes it's.

It's a practical decision, but still it doesn't help our seniors.

Right, but isn't that illegal, you guys?

You know.

Yeah.

Like I say, nobody ever said it implicitly.

They probably, you know, gave it some other, some other excuse, but that's kind of what he started to feel.

Yeah, you know, he was very experienced in the field.

So.

So transition services, I know that's a big part of what Rolling Start does.

So can you talk about that a little bit?

Rolling Start is amazing.

Now, I'm very new to the board.

You know, as far from looking at it from that aspect.

But, but I know that they're, they're amazing when it comes to helping, like people getting out of the hospital.

Yeah.

Things like that.

The ADA mobile, all of that.

I mean, and if I'm not mistaken, there's only one place like this in San Bernardino County.

Am I correct?

Rolling start.

Like rolling start.

Yes.

That helps out with like ada, you know, like the ramps, the, the chairs, the home repair, you know, like turning the tub into a shower or whatever.

Making it.

Yeah, the roll in shower, rolling start ramps.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah.

So, but you mean like transitioning from the hospital or transitioning.

And what aspect are you talking.

ADRC gets involved with that as well.

Helping with a transition.

So, you know, I mean, we work with people say that are in a facility, rehab facility or a nursing home, and we try to get them into a home of their own or a room of their own at a home, and so they can live independently.

We're all about independent choices for people with disabilities.

Right.

And.

Right, right.

No charge for any of it.

Or if somebody is at home and if they need something at home that would keep them there, you know, they're on the verge of having to move out because they can't get in and out of the home.

They don't have a ramp.

Say, you know, we can solve that barrier for them or it could be something else.

But yeah, either way, keep them home or get them home and keep them.

Safe while they're home.

While they're home.

Yes.

Yeah, yeah.

And there's other services for that as well, right?

You know, Meals on Wheels or, you know, just in home services to check on them once in a while.

And home support, Meals on Wheels, you know, I know that.

Transportation, yes.

I don't know, you guys.

Yeah, I think Rolling starts trying to get a transportation grant as we speak.

We have one that we've been helping Rolling Start clients, but unfortunately.

And it's great, but we're running out of funding now.

It's supposed to end in June, so we're using a little bit of money we have left, but we're going to get another grant in the fall.

So, you know, that's.

And I really feel bad for a lot of our clients because not everybody does have transportation on their insurance.

So they were really.

To get one of those smaller buses with a wheelchair lift would be, you know, like a real blessing.

But.

Oh, wouldn't that be nice?

Put that out in the universe, see what happens.

Sorry, I'm, I'm drawing us kind of back to the community and disability and those kind of things.

So when people.

Are you.

So adrc, because you said to us before we started recording, like, what does it actually stand for?

Do you know, kind of what brought it to be.

To be in existence now?

That's a good question.

Well, it stands for Aging and Disability Resource Connection.

People over the age of 60 or 18 to 59.

But you have to be disabled.

You know, dependent adult.

So that's.

That's what the acronyms stand for.

How ADRC came to be is a very good question to ask.

That's something.

Yeah, you got me on that one.

I need to find that out because I, you know, I just assumed it's been here for a while.

I know that there's many, many, many places, you know, like, independent living centers throughout.

I think there's like over 400 of them nationwide.

Yeah, there's 28 in California.

Yeah, right, right.

But that's a very good question.

How they came to be.

I mean, somebody obviously saw a need when, hey, there's somebody needs connection.

Because Doug and I have talked about this a lot.

Like, in telling different stories, when you're in a crisis moment, your brain is not thinking about, how do I get these resources?

Or, like, where do they exist?

It's literally thinking, I need to breathe.

I need to live.

I need to.

You know, the Maslow's hierarchy of needs is popping in.

Right.

And it's not like, let me go find a resource list, but that's kind of where you guys come in, is that if they can get to that 211 spot that then connects them.

They connect you to them, and you guys kind of take it from there in helping them find, you know, things to move forward in their journey.

I guess that's a darn good question, Addie, because remember the story I was telling you guys about Bob?

His cousin lived in Wisconsin.

Right.

They had an ADRC in Wisconsin.

So that's how she found out about us.

Right.

She didn't actually, now that I think about it, she didn't call 211.

She called ADRC directly.

So that.

Yeah, because she.

She called them one in Wisconsin.

Yeah.

So, yeah, that's.

That's how long ADRC has been here.

That's.

I never.

Honestly, you.

Kind of embarrassing, because I should probably know that, but I never really thought about it.

I just sort of, like, took it.

Took for granted.

It's been here for a minute.

Right?

That's.

All right.

You're making up for it with good work.

Thank you.

Well, and showing that like even you who's involved in it.

It is deeply a cause for you.

It shows you like how much it's not heard of.

I've never heard of it, like, and I've been disabled my whole life, you know, like just.

That's part of the joy of the podcast is exposing people to other things.

Doug does an amazing job of the resource page, but like half of the people we talk to, I personally have never heard of it until I read the call sheet and I'm like, oh,.

This is so cool.

But I mean, not everybody can know everything.

It is very cool because I actually thought about you, Doug, and now I will think about you, Addie, when I get certain calls.

No, because I had a call Monday and it was from a 22 year old lady and she was so precious.

She was used to living kind of like a good life.

Something happened to her now.

Some.

She's in a wheelchair the rest of her life.

Yeah.

And she's trying to navigate and she's got a three year old baby and it's just her and the baby.

So she, she wanted to know about the, you know, running out of room to try to supplement her income.

You know, I told her about you.

I didn't tell her about this podcast, but of course I told her about Rolling Star.

Yeah.

You know what I'm saying?

And I, and I was going to say she probably would be good for interview because she's in a wheelchair the rest of her life.

She's having an.

Maybe it might be too soon.

I don't know, I can ask her.

But something, she's got spinal something, you know, where it was raining, she slipped, she fell and, and there you go,.

You know, and that goes back to what we were talking about where, you know, when you're in your, you know, twilight years and, and maybe you couldn't or haven't prepared for that, but here's somebody that, that's just, you know, you're at 22, you're just starting to think about those, you know, you're lucky if you're thinking about that then.

Yeah.

Plot twist.

And then.

So it wasn't either she couldn't or hadn't planned on it.

She wasn't even there yet at her age, you know, and she's in that same circumstances.

She, you know, is unable to.

Well, too early to tell maybe.

But you know, and I'm sure she's struggling with all that right now.

But you know, there may be education and a career out there still for her, you know, but yeah, her Plate's full with the baby and all of that.

It is.

But, you know, she was.

Things came up, like, you know, adjusting to this wheelchair, being like this the rest of my life, you know, and so I'm thinking.

And she's used to making.

Because she lives in a very nice area in Chino, you know, and she wants to hold on to the home that she has, you know, the apartment she has.

Yeah.

But I'm thinking, okay, do you think it's too soon to interview someone like that, you guys?

Well, I would let them, you know, decide that they're resilient.

I mean, we can have a conversation about resilience and how we live our own personal life.

Like, that is a conversation I would have any day about, like, how do you live a full life as a disabled person?

But that is life experience.

Me just as an older double age to her person, sitting here and saying, you got this.

But sometimes that's all anybody needs.

And that's why, like, calling you Joyce, if you're the person that picks up and says, you got this, that might be the.

The thing that springboards them into, hey, I don't have to leave this place, or, hey, I don't have to.

This isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to be here.

You are the.

You're the cutoff at the pass at a very important time.

And there are organizations at this point where she's at.

There's organizations that really, I would strongly advise she connects with, you know, Triumph foundation or, you know, look into Casa Kalina or, you know, because this is the time where she really needs to join the community.

Because the physical.

We talk about it all the time, the physical things, you get healed fairly quickly, you know, to where you can get back to life.

But it's the mental part of it and overcoming, like, the question she's asking herself that everybody does, you know.

You know, you have to resolve the fact that the you that you've known now for 22 years is gone, and there's going to be a new you that's going to rise from the ashes, and that's a transition.

It doesn't happen overnight.

And a choice.

Yeah.

And a choice.

I think that.

Yeah, absolutely.

I. Yeah, I'm.

I'm.

This is off track.

You're gonna have to delete all this.

But, yes, we're making you work.

But I, like you could.

I would be willing to talk to her as, like, it's gonna be okay.

You know what I mean?

But that's what I'm talking about.

Get with the community.

Yeah, I think she needs that, Addie and Doug, I think she needs that because, you know, I could tell talking to her, there was times that she felt like kind of.

I mean, I just.

I felt her, you know, she said, because she's used to making good money, you know, she's living in a nice side of town.

She's used to living a certain way.

And she.

She made.

She said something like, I never expected my life, you know, was going to be.

You know, things that.

As a crisis counselor, you listen to certain things and you think, oh, my.

You know what I mean?

So I try to encourage her the best I could, but then I started thinking about Doug, what you do, you know, wow.

Maybe this because you talk to people that are, you know, and at the.

Very least, put her together, you know.

You know, I'll chat and let her know what's available, especially specific to what her needs is.

As a matter of fact, when we get done with this interview, I have a phone call with a young lady who has a child who is disabled.

And, you know, she's just, you know, she's exhausted.

She was just telling me on a text that her, you know, daughter doesn't sleep at night.

So she's up at night and just.

Yeah.

So, you know, and I don't even know yet what the age of the doctor or the daughter is.

So, you know.

But, yeah, I want to talk to her and let her know what's out there, where she can go and, you know, at least get some support.

I like to interview you, too.

Anybody ever said that we're still off the camera thing you.

Because I'm looking at both of you.

Well, I make that executive producer decision later.

Yeah, we're going to keep Doug really busy.

You're gonna have to do a lot of deleting.

No, I'm looking at you.

I don't.

What.

What's your disability, Addie?

Cerebral palsy.

Okay.

My container has cerebral palsy.

My brain has nothing.

I've listened to you.

You're very refreshing.

You are.

And I think it takes a very special person to do what you guys do.

You guys are amazing.

Thank you.

But I. Yeah, I'm excited to tell your story because obviously, we've got to get people back to feeling like they can do it and that there are resources to help them do it.

But sometimes those resources are so clinical that they cannot feel seen in the reach for the resources.

So in sitting here with you, that's what I feel like is.

You don't feel clinical at all.

You are the person meeting a person with a need and hoping to connect them.

Them, you know, via there.

I've been there.

You know what I'm saying?

So I meet a person where he or she is at.

First of all, it's okay.

I always tell my clients, you know what, Sometimes we go through something to get to something.

You know what I'm saying?

I am the most positive person for the most part.

Sometimes there are a couple clients that will take you there though, that there are.

You're like, hold on, wait a minute, I gotta breathe.

I gotta put my mute button.

Doug know it's one of them I'm talking about.

I was just thinking even.

Oh, God.

God bless.

My friends say there are.

There's.

There's a couple of them that will, you know.

But for the most part, you know, I meet them where they are, it's okay.

It's okay to cry, you know, we're human.

Yeah.

You know, and I tell them, you know, get it out.

Because if you.

If you fester your feelings and you get sick inside.

So then I'll give them like 24 hour, you know, this is where the two on one, the database comes in.

That's great.

You know, there's like resources, 24 hours that's available for seniors and dependent adults.

So maybe your people that are listening can know this.

And it's called the friendship line.

I love giving that one out.

It's not a suicide line.

No.

You know, nobody's.

Because that's usually one of the first questions they ask me when I tell them about, you know, emotional support lines and so forth, you know.

No, Joyce, I'm not.

I just need to get it out.

And that's the friendship line.

Everybody needs somebody to talk to.

That's pretty rad.

Yeah, we do.

Everybody needs somebody.

And I like the fact that it's 24.

7.

So if it's 3 o' clock in the morning and you can't sleep and you don't want to wake up Fluffy or Buffy, you know, your dog or cat.

I talk.

Or they're probably tired of hearing it anyway.

That's right.

You know, call the friendship line.

You don't even have to say your name.

There's always somebody on the other end that you can vet to.

So also tell us a little bit about no.

Wrong door.

What is that concept no, wrong door is basically.

It's no wrong door, just like it sounds.

You can get the help you need.

You're not going to be judged.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

Look at it like that.

You're not going to be judged.

It's whatever you need, whatever kind of help you need, it's available for you.

Yeah.

Period.

It doesn't matter.

You know, I mean, even there's help for people that don't have income, but it's not.

It's not as.

It's not as much help as we want it to be.

But there is help for people.

There's no wrong door.

It's kind of like the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

Right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Is that a barrier?

You think in your experience of answering these calls for so many years, that people are reluctant to call and ask for help and they're finally just like, got to get some help somewhere.

Yeah.

They'll use us.

You know, I get calls from people that, case in point, a gentleman.

You know, they're used to making six figures.

You know, I'm saying.

And then something happens, and then their whole life is.

And look, here they are calling a 211 or ADRC.

Right.

You know what I'm saying?

So they're like, ambiguous as to whether or not to tell us everything because, you know, and again, that's what happened.

That's an example of, you know, a former self being lost.

You're mourning that loss of that.

That six, you know, figure man that you were before, and now you're asking for help.

Right.

That's.

That's humbling and all of that.

Right, right.

And sometimes you can still.

When you talk to them, you can still see where they're used to being, you know, at that place.

Yeah.

And then where they are now, you can.

It comes out sometimes in conversation.

And then again, I say, you know what?

We go through something, we all.

We all do.

It's okay.

Yeah.

I like to meet the person that, you know, has gone through an entire lifetime and not gone through anything, you know?

Yeah.

That's the person when you need to be like, okay, you made six figures.

How did you put your pants on?

And now you don't make six figures.

How did you put your pants on?

Like, you know what I mean?

Like, sometimes people need that beat and that moment and that perspective to be like, wow, that is kind of an ass of me.

Like, just because they're so wrapped up in being a thing, to being an identity and that money has Given him identity.

So then scared, if I no longer have the money, what is my identity?

And I think that that's why the shepherd of someone like you coming through.

Coming through this and saying, hey, it's okay to ask for help.

We're all going to need help in some way.

And if we don't ask for help and want to be an island, you know, you.

You kind of make that bed that you're going to lie in.

But for Doug and I, the.

The goal of this podcast is community and encouraging it, and even if it feels scary and horrible, you know, it's out there.

So just all you got to do is put your hand out and ask.

That's it.

Ask.

And that's.

That's the.

No, wrong door.

Doug, you're not going to be judged.

You know, just ask.

You never know where you're going to be in life.

That's right.

So that's.

That's the concept.

I, you know, I treat people the way I want to be treated.

Yeah.

Period.

I. I've been around people that are kind of arrogant and I don't like it.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

I had an ex husband one time, you know, and.

No, seriously, one time.

Yes.

Well, this, this one, this one had money, and this one got mad at me.

He.

He said to me, and I'll never forget it.

And I thought, this is.

I thought, I really liked all this, you know, but what.

Come.

When it comes down to it, I'm really not like that, okay?

Ostentatious.

You heard that word before?

Ostentatious.

My ex said to me, and this is 100 years ago, but I'll never forget it.

Why are you talking to them?

Because we had employees, right?

He says, why are you talking to them?

Don't you know, you're.

You're on a different level than them?

Oh, you know what?

I'm sorry.

I had several phones in here.

I didn't take them all out.

And I told him, I said, you know what?

You take that Rolex watch.

I told him, you take that Rolex watch and that Mercedes out there.

I'm not going to tell you the rest.

I don't.

But.

And then I said, you are.

I said, you are.

Yeah, said.

And I said, you take that away from you.

I said, how can you say that?

How can you tell me not to talk to my employees?

How can you tell me, you know, I would, like, change the dates where they can be off so they can go to their kids graduation, you know, on the calendar.

He'd come in and like, why did you give them this day off?

I'm like, well, their baby's graduating, you know, that type of thing.

And he would be infuriated that I would do something like that, and I would be infuriated.

How can you not even think that?

That's a precious moment that, you know, you got to take that time off.

Yeah.

So I don't know.

Brainer.

Right.

Yeah.

I don't do very well with that particular class of person.

Yeah.

At all.

So ADRC is a non profit.

Right.

It is a non profit.

So let me ask you a little bit about the future.

You know, other initiatives within adrc, as far as, you know, how to keep the funding going or, you know, are there initiatives about, you know, some new areas of service that you want to provide?

I.

That's.

You're asking so many good questions that I did not really expect.

That's all right.

That's all right.

And you've got.

And we're not sure, you know, if you know the answers to these, but we'll ask.

And you got me thinking.

I just wish that there was a way.

And I know this is a stretch, but where we had funding.

Right.

Like a partial funding.

You know, you talk about initiatives like, where at the front, we can help people that call in on a different level.

I've always wanted that.

Yeah.

Instead of going into, you know, our pockets and doing things for that person that slipped through the cracks.

That's on oxygen.

You know, I have a lady right now on oxygen and in her car.

Yeah.

As we speak.

You know, I just wish there's a way that they would say at the front, who would I talk to about that?

I need to find that out.

You know, things like that, to me are very important, but I don't see.

I don't think they.

They.

I'm supposed to just be answering the phone and giving out resources.

No, that's what I was told.

Right, right.

They're like, stop it, Joyce.

You're already.

Stop it, Teresa.

Stop it, Theresa.

That's what I was told.

You're just supposed to be answering, but just give the number, you know, so you.

You can't do that.

Ship has failed.

But I wish there was a way that I could, you know, because I've written letters.

I always.

Just give me an address, I'll write a letter.

You know, who do I talk to?

Because there's just something not right.

You know, I grew up in San Bernardino county, and it's just different than before.

Yeah.

You know, I feel like, since they took Norton Air Force Base away, Doug, you're probably familiar.

You're too young to know about that, Eddie, but since they took that away, I feel like, you know, it's gone down.

Yeah, that was a big part of our.

That was a big part right.

In March as well.

But that's transitioned a little bit to a reserve base.

But.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, no, you've done a great job today of telling us what the resources are and then growing the awareness of it.

You know, that's all the resources in the world are great, but if you don't know about them and, you know, that's not going to.

That's not going to help anybody.

So that's kind of our mission here is, is to have those conversations with individuals and to get the word out on a lot of organizations just like yours.

So we appreciate that.

So as we kind of close out is if somebody's listening today, they're hearing Joyce and they're struggling and maybe they're caring for a loved one or they're, you know, kind of worried about a loved one that's out there on the street or whatever.

What would you say to them?

What would you tell them about, you know, taking that first step?

There's always help.

There's always somebody that cares.

You just don't be afraid to ask.

You know, the person that you're talking to may have gone through the same thing you went through.

You know what I'm saying?

So just never be afraid to pick up the phone and call, period.

Do you want me to leave the number?

That'd be helpful.

I was going to say, you know, if you want to get your personal lines.

Absolutely.

If you want to talk to Joy specifically.

Yeah.

But, you know, whatever number you're comfortable with, that's, that's.

Or after 4:30, that number stops.

Excellent.

Excellent.

And ADRC is up on our website, so you can find out more information there.

So thank you.

I know you're busy and probably got a lot of phone calls backed up.

You're gonna have to catch up.

But thank you for joining us here on Walk and Roll Live.

Each week on Walk and Roll Live,.

We share honest and open stories of.

People living with a disability.

Yeah, you know, I mentioned earlier that, you know, I was bouncing back and forth between Kaiser and Casa Kalina.

You know, obviously.

Well, I won't say obviously.

But what had happened was I got spun around and as I mentioned, I broke my back and severed my spinal cord.

I didn't know that my legs weren't working other than the fact that the car next to me that hit me was on fire.

I knew that I had 21 gallons of gas in my tank.

Join us weekly for another powerful episode, Walk and Roll Live, wherever you get your podcasts.

Life Limitless.

Subscribe now.

From the Agiar Professional Training Studios.

You're listening to Walk and Roll Live Disability Stories.

Thank you to Joyce for joining us.

What you think of her story?

It's winding and it doesn't tell as much of the story about the ADRC as I thought it would, but it was a lovely time with Joyce.

Yes.

So I do appreciate that.

And I will say in the open, I talked about giving that talk about caring for the caregiver and I actually mentioned the friendship line that she mentions because I had never heard of it.

And we actually, even in my talk I talked about it and then we dropped the link to it in the chat and provided it as a resource on our follow up, follow up information.

So it shows you that you will gather the things needed.

There's a reason things are said at a certain time.

Right.

Because.

Yeah.

And I think that's what kind of came out of that interview is you, you see, you know, you learn what they do and learn that there's a great person who's going to help you navigate all of that too.

She.

Oh, for sure.

I mean, if you ever want an angel to answer the phone.

Yeah, I feel like that would be Joyce.

And that's it.

I mean, I've talked to her while she's at work and she'll put the phone down talking to me for a minute to go back and answer the phone.

And I listen to her half of the conversation and she's a cheerleader.

She's, you know, just trying to.

Yeah, yeah.

The whole time.

She's very kind.

She never gets irritated that I've heard.

You know, she's always just, well, you know, wait and be patient and then tomorrow we'll take a look at it again, see where we're at.

You know, it's like, I love that about her.

But the other thing is it's not just that, like essence, it's also the, like, you can do this behind.

I felt like that, that it was like talking to another version of myself because she's not gonna let you like snake out and be like, just, oh, woe is me.

The world Sucked.

Yeah.

She's gonna be like, all right, we're gonna get our crap together, and tomorrow we'll try again.

I like her.

Like, soldier soft, we'll call it.

Soldier soft.

Yeah.

A life coach, right?

Yeah.

It's all right.

It's all right.

You know, to maybe wine once in a while, but, you know, we'll put that aside and get back to work on, you know, getting rid of all.

That stuff to be done.

Causing you the problems.

Yes, exactly.

All right.

And then another good one that we.

We recently had a chance to sit down with some parents and also a doctor that are dealing with the implant, the cochlear ear implant for hearing.

And I just.

I was telling you before we came on, I just saw a post, a collage, probably five to six little babies just when they plugged it in and they heard their mom or dad's voice for the first time.

Oh.

And the looks on their faces when they realize, you know, because they kind of look.

They start where they kind of look irritated, you know, little baby and, you know, what are you.

You're messing with my head.

Knock it off.

And then that.

That moment comes where they recognize it's just.

It's the best.

So we'll talk with them next week, so make sure you're here.

Any final thoughts?

I'm just excited to tell this story because it was very interesting also to sit with three people and, like, hear everybody's perspective.

Right.

And this is what I also love.

We often talk about parents, like, adapting to a child being born with a disability.

Right.

Yeah.

And those parents that were featured also had no, you know, they weren't expecting a deaf child.

Nope.

It happened.

But the resilience in which they suddenly, they, you know, they sound like amazing parents, but they also weren't afraid to step into advocacy when maybe that wasn't their lane originally, and they took a chance.

A lot of what you look at with our stories with yourself, you know, being born when you were and your parents advocating for you, and my mom just, you know, and dad deciding I was gonna have a dorsal rhizotomy when nobody knew what that was going to be like.

We are the product of our parents taking a chance that they had to make a decision for us.

So we'll hear all about that next week right here.

Make sure you don't miss it.

Thank you for listening.

I'm your host, Doug Vincent, along with Addie Rich, who I couldn't do it without, from the Agyar Professor Professional Training Studio.

This has been Walk and Roll live Disability stories Life limitless Walk and roll life.